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Plot to kill Joko Widodo’s most trusted security officials ‘meant to create fear’ in Indonesia
- The post-election assassination plot of Indonesia’s top security officials was designed to destabilise Joko Widodo’s leadership, security sources say
- The plot, which also targeted a prominent pollster, was foiled after police arrested four gunmen and two arms suppliers
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Four of Indonesia’s top security officials were targeted last week in a post-election assassination plot designed to weaken the leadership of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, security sources said.
Chief Security Minister Wiranto; State Intelligence Agency chief Budi Gunawan; Jokowi’s intelligence and security adviser, Gories Mere; and cabinet minister Luhut Pandjaitan were the targets, Indonesian police chief Tito Karnavian said at a press conference.
“The plot to assassinate national figures was meant to create fear,” Wiranto said.
The plot, which also targeted a prominent pollster, was foiled after police arrested six suspects – four gunmen and two arms suppliers – last week. The head of the hit squad, a man known by the initials HK, was paid 150 million rupiah (US$10,400) to carry out the killings with three others, police said.
Jakarta descended into chaos on May 21-22 during two nights of street battles between riot police and protesters opposed to Jokowi’s re-election as leader of the world’s biggest Muslim-majority country.
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